Best Places to Eat + Drink in RI on New Year’s Eve

This could be the most important decision you make this week: where to spend New Year's Eve. It's about making memories, after all, so choose wisely. Here's a few thoughts to get you started....

Flemming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Providence

A Flemming's tradition means that New Year's is celebrated for a long weekend. It begins on Friday and runs through New Year's Eve. Each night will feature Flemming's tremendous a la carte menu and a special holiday menu. The New Year's Celebration menu begins with a poached shrimp and grits with goats cheese and celery root slaw. You then choose between three entrees and finish with the decadence of chocolate budino. The one-pound lobster tail and mac and cheese sounds like a winner. One West Exchange St. 533-9000, www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Chez Pascal, Providence

The good folks at Chez Pascal have you covered on mulitple fronts for N.Y.E.. The fabulous Wurst Kitchen will be pumping out tasty pork goodness all night long and more refined dining is offered as a three-course tasting menu with choices in each course. If you really know the gentleman of our duo, you know that the following words are like a siren song...slow roasted loin of local pork with rosemary, fennel, chili flake and a stew of onions, potatoes and bacon. These are a few of our favorite things! $65 per person. 960 Hope St. 421-4422, www.chez-pascal.com

Chan's Eggrolls and Jazz, Woonsocket

For our friends in the northern part of the state Chan's is both a good restaurant and a top notch music space. The N.Y.E. concert is a tradition that we love. This year our parents' favorite band, The Fat City Band, will be performing their rock and blues favorites. Chan's offers some of the tastiest traditional Chinese food around with a few non-traditional choices thrown in too. For the combination of food and music, Chan's will be hard to top on N.Y.E. 267 Main St. 765-1900, www.chanseggrollsandjazz.com

Millonzi's Bar and Grille, West Warwick

Courtesy of Armand DeLuise

Our West Bay food friends have fallen in love with the family-friendly food being produced by Kevin Millonzi at his namesake restaurant. We know you're searching your brain...Millonzi...Millonzi...back at the turn of the century he was one of the top chefs in the city at Prov--before it became more know as a nightclub. This place features his skill in a form that works for all. On N.Y.E. he is offering three seatings throughout the night that will feature a special N.Y.E. menu. They will have a live band after 9 p.m. to ring in the year in style. 11 Curson St. 615-7891, www.millonzisri.com

Iron Works Tavern, Warwick

We love to include Iron Works on our holiday lists. They are usually open and provide both a cool atmosphere and awesome food and drink. Being near T.F. Green and Post Rd, Iron Works gets an eclectic clientele that icludes travelers and locals alike. For N.Y.E. Chef Kevin Duffney is serving a special menu that is $39.95 per person and features a complimentary champagne toast. The menu is nice and big with 8 choices in both the appetizer and entree sections and then some delish sounding desserts. The tuna tartare sounds refreshing topped with a seaweed salad and the pan seared duck breast with star anise/apricot glaze and celery root puree looks like another wonderful option. 697 Jefferson Blvd. 739-5111, www.theironworkstavern.com

Gracie's, Providence

Anyone who has been lucky enough to spend a N.Y.E.at Gracie's knows what an amazing time is to be had. You can always count on Gracie's and Chef Matt Varga to provide an amazing dining experince, but to really know Gracie's, you need to attend a N.Y.E. Each year provides a theme and the staff executes that theme to the highest degree. This year features a trip to Spain. Imagine 5 or 7 courses of Chef Varga's Spanish-themed food and drinks followed by strolling guitarists, flamenco dancers and revelry to ring in 2013. 194 Washington St. 272-7811, www.graciesprovidence.com

New Rivers, Providence

When longtime chef Beau Vestal took over New Rivers this year everyone knew what sublime food he served. We wondered if there was a higher level to be attained here. Well we're happy to report that New Rivers might be even better than before. A new lunch service has opened up a whole new--daylight loving--clientele to Vestal's creative, local food.

On N.Y.E. he is serving a delicious sounding four-course menu, with choices in each, for $55 per person. Start with the housemade bresaola, move on to delicious pasta dishes and enjoy grass fed beef with bone marrow Bordelaise sauce. The whole table gets a plate of sweets to share to finish off a perfect night and ring in 2013. 7 Steeple St. 751-0350, www.newriversrestaurant.com

Farmstead Inc,, Providence

We finish off with a little secret something for New Year's Day. Star chef Matt Jennings is doing a New Year's Day Drunch. That's not a typo folks! Drunken brunch sounds like the perfect way to finish off the holiday season. With names like polenta frite poutine, Ebelskiver pancakes stuffed with foie gras and apples and black and white franks and beans. Even the ubiquitous grilled pizza will make an appearance. You can count on creative beverages and delicious food to cure that awful, awful hangover! 186 Wayland Ave. 274-7177, www.farmsteadinc.com